The Halima Aden Interview You've Been Waiting For

In the last two weeks, 19-year-old Halima Aden—who famously made it to the semifinals of last year’s Miss Minnesota USA pageant wearing a hijab and burkini—has signed with IMG Models; made her highly anticipated New York fashion week debut (where, in a massive floor-length coat, she was pretty much the highlight of an otherwise snoozy Yeezy season 5 presentation); walked for Alberta Ferretti and Max Mara in Milan; and pretty much broken the Internet. Between her hijab and her braces(!), Aden is fast becoming the poster child for diversity and individual empowerment in fashion. We cornered the boundary-breaking model backstage at Alberta Ferretti—but, like, cornered in a good way—and asked her about hijabs, braces, and the challenges of changing modestly backstage.

On how it all began: "It was something pretty small that happened senior year [of high school]: I became my town’s first Muslim homecoming queen. And even though that’s not really a big deal in the grand scheme, it turned into a moment that brought the community together. I think for a long time, Muslim students just assumed, OK, homecoming is not meant for me, because I’m Muslim. And non-Muslim students assumed Muslims weren’t interested. So when I was nominated—and no Muslim student ever had been—I was like, 'OK, oh my God. OK!' Who would have thought homecoming could mean so much to people? After that, I just thought: What else? What else can I do like this? And that’s how I came to pageantry, which was never really on my mind before, to be honest."

Halima Aden at Yeezy

On being the first woman to wear a hijab in a Miss Minnesota USA Pageant: "I made a lot of mistakes growing up, trying so hard to fit in. I got so lost trying to please everybody. But the thing was, I didn’t fit into any one category, like Somali-Muslim or even American. And at the same time I thought, Why haven’t I seen anybody dressed like me in these pageants? Why isn’t that a category? Why isn’t it normal? And eventually I realized I needed to create my own category. To forget them, and just do me."

On entering the world of high fashion: "I can thank Carine Roitfeld for taking a huge chance with me. I’d never done any modeling, and she put me on the cover [of CR Fashion Book] way before IMG even signed me. It just opened so many doors. Everybody has been so accommodating—even today, they set up a little box that could be my own changing area. It was very sweet, and so above and beyond, and nothing I was expecting at all. The fact that I get to be myself, and that nobody is pressuring me to be anything other than myself.... I’m from Bancock, Minnesota, and now I’m here in Italy, in Milan, and walking the runway with the girl from the Victoria’s Secret posters at my mall. A lot of my guy friends back home were like, 'Please take pictures of the models,' and I was like, Uh, weird! I am not about to walk up to these girls and be like, 'Hey, my guy friend wants a picture!' So weird!"

On rocking those braces through it all: "I used to be so self-conscious about my braces that people thought I was shy—I just never talked. It took me a long time to realize, whatever, it’s not like I’ll have them forever, so I might as well enjoy it while I do! I did take them off for the Miss Minnesota pageant, but then I felt so bad about it, and my mom was like, 'Why would you do that? You’re all about representing! Be yourself!' And that was the day I decided, if I’m going to model, I’m going to model with them on."

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Model Halima Aden walks in the Alberta Ferretti fall 2017 show

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On what’s next: "I really would just like for all this to be normalized. Right now I’m getting a lot of press because I’m wearing a hijab, and that’s not something you see in the fashion industry: It’s new; it’s kind of shocking. We have to start somewhere, and I’m happy to be the first, and I hope it inspires other girls to also be themselves, especially Muslim girls, because we are told so often that we can’t do things. I’m just looking forward to more empowerment for us all, and opportunities for everyone to try new things. Hopefully we will get to a place soon where a hijab in a fashion show is just as normal as anything else."